Beifong Outing
by Darthlane
Summary: The Beifong girls go out on a bonding trip to Avatar Land, the Avatar themed amusement park. One shot. I do not own Legend of Korra.


**For the Semi-Final Round of the Pro Bending Circuit**

 **Prompts:**

 **Toph**

 **First Person POV**

 **Roller Coaster**

 **Word Count: 1165**

 **Thanks for checking it out! Enjoy!**

I didn't like this at all.

Opal led me along by the hand, dragging me through the crowd. I could stop her easily, I'm a powerful Earthbender after all, but what kind of grandmother does that? I know I'm not exactly the most cheerful of people to be around, and I usually don't care about other's feelings, but Opal is just one of those bright spots in the universe. One of those people who could always bring a smile to anyone's face. Just one of….. THOSE people. Like some kid that I used to know. Hell, she really does remind me a lot of Twinkle-Toes. She can be Twinkle-Toes the Second.

Lin and Suyin followed close behind. Lin was much like her mother, and also likely felt just as out of place here. Su, however, probably enjoyed this park as much as Opal did. Crazy kids.

It had all been Opal's idea. Why not take a trip together, to bond as a family? The Beifong girls, all together. They had worked out a plan, mostly without my input, since I can't read a map, and had decided to go to the amusement park that Varrick had created outside Republic City.

Avatar-Land. It was one part fun, or at least his version of it, and one part history lesson. Everything was themed after some big moment or place in history, the crowds just fed it up like starving children. But it just made me sick. Most of the stuff here was plain lies, most of which was information that was easy to find. But I know people, they won't care. they will just go along with whatever makes them happy. And who can blame them?

And so that's how I spent today: riding crazy contraptions that I couldn't even see with my two daughters and my only granddaughter. Mostly it was just standing in line for stuff that was barely enjoyable and definitely not worth the time to get on. The Moon Spirit. Long Feng's Downfall. Sky Bison. And the worst one of them all, The Cave of Two Lovers. Several boys wanted to join Opal on that particular ride, but she made it clear enough that she was taken. One boy didn't give up, but all it took was one very stern glare from me to send him scurrying.

Was it too late to go back to the swamp?

But Opal was happy and dragging me to this and that, and so I stayed. The day may be passing slowly as ever, but I will do my duty and at least let her have a good time.

It was getting to be around five o' clock, and they decided to stop to eat before one final ride. After we had finished our meal, Opal left to the bathroom. Su following close behind.

"Why have you been so calm?" Lin asked me after her niece had left. She seemed as aggravated as I felt.

I just kept my face passive and asked, "Whatever do you mean, Lin?"

"I know you hate this place more than I do." She said, crossing her arms. "But you have just gone along with whatever we are doing, as if you were actually having fun. Why?"

I sighed. Did she really not see it? "It's because I'm trying to be a good grandmother to Opal."

Lin snickered. "You are going to be a good grandmother? Because you were such a good mother to start with."

"That's exactly why I'm doing it." I told her. "I wasn't the best mother to you and Suyin. But maybe I can be a good grandmother for Opal."

"I don't believe a word you say." Lin said, a quiver in her voice. "If you really wanted to be a good parent, to be there for your children and grandchildren, then why didn't you do that to start with?"

"I messed up." I said angrily. "I screwed up when it came to you and your sister. The whole world sees me as some hero, for all I did with Aang and the others. But you girls know the truth. You know what a monster I am. But I don't want to be a monster. I didn't want what happened to have happened, but it did. I can't go back and change things. I can't make everything all better. I can't fix you. There isn't anything I can do for you or Su. But I'm still here. I can still do something, help someone. And that someone is Opal. Maybe I can make her life a little bit better, when I couldn't do that for you two. I can't take back my mistakes, but I don't have to make any more."

Before Lin could respond, Opal and Suyin returned. "Okay, me and Mom talked it out, and we decided that the last thing we should ride is the Sozin's Comet Roller Coaster!"

I smiled. "Sounds lovely to me. Let's ride." Lin glared my way, but said nothing.

We made our way the massive structure, a huge jumble of red metal poles that held a Satomobile on it. For the first time today, I was actually intrigued in the ride we would be on. This one seemed fairly interesting. The car moves at high speed by the Metalbenders controlling it, sending the people riding through an exhilarating rush of wind and movement.

At the gate to get on, the employee sees me, and my age, and freaks out for a moment. "Ma'am, you aren't seriously considering getting on Sozin's Comet, are you?"

I laugh. "Of course I am, sonny." I push past him and get onto the front seat of the ride. Opal sits down next to me, and Su and Lin get into the seats behind us. As soon as the ride is full and everyone is secured in, the car starts to lurch forward.

I like this one. All of the other rides had been largely plastic, and the seats had almost all been plastic. For the most part I had been blind to whatever was going on in those rides. This time, though, we were on metal. I can actually see! And that makes this one feel so much more worth it.

As we climb the hill of thick metal poles in front of us, I can feel through the metal that everyone is putting their hands high above their heads. Is that what we are supposed to do? I try it, and feel a bit of excitement in my heart. I haven't felt like this since I was young.

We reach the top, and then Opal asks, shouting over the wind, "Grandmother! Are you ready?"

I don't know how I know, since I can't see it, but I just know that she is smiling at me. I can't help it, but I smile back. "Maybe I didn't mess up with this one." I mutter, unable to be heard over the loud wind.

Then we drop.


End file.
